Cover Crops already growing in the Plum and Konkapot Creek Watersheds

As corn silage is harvested, those that travel through the Plum and Konkapot Creek Watersheds may be seeing more cover crops growing than they have in the past.

Interseeding cover crops into young standing corn (10-24” tall) is an innovative practice that allows growers to plant cover crops earlier in the season. Planting earlier helps ensure cover crop establishment which can be a concern for cover crops traditionally planted after harvest due to weather. In addition, interseeding allows longer growing period for the crops leading to increased ground cover and increased benefits provided by the crop.

How does interseeding work?

Traditionally, a cover crop is planted in September or October following corn harvest. Interseeding uses a specialty seeder to allows the cover crop to be planted between rows of corn in June, about 6-8 weeks after the corn is planted. Planting 6-8 weeks after corn planting allows the cover crop to establish its roots and put on a bit of growth before the corn canopies the cover crop. Once canopied the lack of light puts the cover crop into dormancy, which reduces the worry of cover crop competing with the corn for nutrients and water.

The cover crop remains dormant until the corn begins to mature. When corn matures, the leaves dry down and droop, letting light through the canopy to the soil surface once again. The cover crop then comes out of dormancy and continues to grow.

What’s happening in the Plum and Konkapot?

In late June of this year, Outagamie and Brown County Land Conservation Department staff, working through a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant awarded to the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance interseeded cover crops into small plots on several farms in the Plum and Konkapot Creek Watersheds to give the growers a taste of the system. These test plots will allow growers to see for themselves if interseeding will work on their farm, as well as allow county conservation staff and partners to see what factors hinder or promote cover crop establishment.

With some changes to current crop management, interseeding has great potential to be used across the watershed to improve water quality and soil health without decreasing yield.

If you are a grower in the Plum Creek or Konkapot Creek Watershed and are interested in being a part of the program in 2017, contact Andy Kiefer (Outagamie County LCD) 920.574.7539 or Nick Peltier (Brown County) 920.391.4633. All growers in Plum and Konkapot Creek watersheds are eligible as well and may contact either agronomist.